Structural means and a process for the manufacture thereof

ABSTRACT

A structural means is produced from a single piece of structural material by cutting special patterns in the material and realigning the cut pieces in a particular fashion before attaching the pieces together.

United States Patent [191 Coco [ Get. 30, 1973 STRUCTURAL MEANS AND A PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE THEREGF [75] Inventor: Spencer G. Coco, Baton Rouge, La.

[73] Assignee: LCM Corporation, Baton Rouge,

[22] Filed: Oct. 8, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 187,767

144/314, 83/32 [51] Int. Cl B271 7/00 [58] Field 011 Search 144/36, 310 B, 309 R,

144/309 L, 314 R, 314 A, 314 B, 315 R, 315 A, 318; 156/256, 258, 264; 161/109; 83/32 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,491,437 10/1970 Small ..83/32X 3,456,535 7/1969 Schwennesen 83/32 X 3,553,048 1/1971 Ryan 156/258 X 2,728,479 12/1955 Wheeler.... 144/314 A 2,104,307 1/1938 Miller 144/314 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 809,104 6/1951 Gennany 144/315 R Primary Examiner-Andrew R. Juhasz Assistant ExaminerW. D. Bray ArtorneyWilliam David Kiesel [57] ABSTRACT A structural means is produced from a single piece of structural material by cutting special patterns in the material and realigning the cut pieces in a particular fashion before attaching the pieces together.

18 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENIEnumaoms 3.768.530

I NVENTOR SPENCER COCO ATTORNEY WJZZJW 2%4/ STRUCTURAL MEANS AND A PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to structural devices, and in particular wood or wood related material structural devices.

With the vast amount of residental and commercial construction that annually is begun there is a great need for new, cheaper methods for producing structural devices that can be utilized in this construction. Such methods would be of even greater significance if they resulted in the need to use less material to form structural devices having the same capacity as the devices presently used. This is particularly true in the wood and wood related material industries.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a process for producing from a single piece of material a structural device having greater structural characteristics than the single piece of material. I

This and other objects and advantages will becom apparent from the ensuing descriptions of the invention.

In accordance with this invention a single piece of material is cut into two pieces, each piece having high and low points. The two pieces are then aligned so to match at least some of the high points of the second piece. The two aligned pieces are then attached together to form a structural device that is capable of supporting greater weight than the original piece of material.

In a more specific embodiment of this invention the material to be cut is a rectangular wooden plank and the cutting pattern is basically sinusoidal. In a preferred embodiment the high points are flat to facilitate binding of the two pieces at these points.

It is contemplated that the process of this invention can be carried out in a batch fashion (i.e., the cutting is interrupted by the aligning and attaching steps) or in a continuous fashion (i.e., the cutting is not interrupted by subsequent steps, since they are carried out at a dif- Y FIG. 1 illustrates one source of structural material that can be used in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 2A and 2B illustrate two types of cutting patterns that can be used in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 3A and 3B illustrate the realignment and attaching of the two pieces producted in FIG. 2A and 28, respectively. l

FIG. 4A and 4B illustrate structural devices produced according" to the steps illustrated in FIGS. 2A-3A and 2843.

FIG. 5 illustrates one use of this product of this process in combination with other structural braces to form a device produced according to this invention. I

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION While the process of this invention is applicable to a greater variety of structural material it is particularly suitable to wood and wood related materials, such as plywood, sawn lumber, etc. Therefore, for illustrative, and only illustrative, purposes the preferred embodiments will be described using wood as the structural material.

Accordingly a single piece of wood, preferably a rectangular shaped plank is cut into pieces, each piece having high and low points. The exact cutting pattern can be quite varied depending on the structure characteristics desired in the end product. Once cut, the two pieces are aligned so that at least some, and preferably all, the high points match. The aligned pieces are then attached together to form a single, wider and hence structurally stronger device.

Turning now to the figures for a clearer explanation of the process a wooden plank 1 having a length 1, width w and depth d as seen in FIG. 1 is cut along line 2 (as seen in FIG. 2A and 2B) to form two pieces 3 and 4, each having high points 5 and low points 6 wherein the high points are x units higher than the low points. The two pieces are then aligned as shown in FIG. 3A and 3B, and then bonded together as seen in FIG. 4A and 48 to form structural designs 7 and 8.

The cutting pattern 2 can be selected from a great variety of shapes with a key feature being that high and low points must be formed in each piece 3 and 4. Suitable patterns include by way of example, triangular cuts, sinusoidal cuts, as well as a combination of these. In one particular embodiment it is desired that the high points have flat surfaces and be of about uniform height as this will allow for easier and more stable bonding of these flat surfaces with adhesives as shown in FIG. 3A and 38. While one means of bonding the two pieces 3 and 4 together is by adhesives, many other means of attaching, such as mechanical fastners, as well as, combinations of these methods can be employed.

The cutting pattern is governed to a certain extent to the use to which it will be used. As a support structure the finished product must meet load requirements, bending, tension, shear, compression and other structural characteristics. These in turn can effect the depth x of the cuts and the distance y" between the low points, as well as, other cutting parameters as shown in FIG. 3A and 38.

Also the means by which the cutting pattern is made will depend to some degree on the design. If the design requires sharp angle cuts then such normal cutting devices as band saws, regular circular saws, etc. would not be desirable. For this reason other cutting devices such as lasers, routers, circular jig saws, water jet devices, etc. may be more desirable in certain instances.

The many desirable advantages and features of this invention are exemplified by the following example.

EXAMPLE A 2 inch by 6 inch plank twelve feet long was cut in the pattern shown in FIG. 2A. The distance from the high point to the low point was 1% inches. The two pieces were then aligned as shown in FIG. 3A and bonded together with an adhesive to produce a plank having a 40 percent greater width and greatly improved structural characteristics, while at the same time utilizing 20% less material (as seen in FIG. 4A) than a solid plank of the same size and having about equivalent structural characteristics.

In another embodiment of the invention the structural device produced may be combined in subsequent steps with other structural means to form an integrated structural unit. One example of such a combination is the bar joist seen in FIG. 5. Here the attached pieces 3 and 4 are connected by adhesives, nails or other attaching means to top brace 9 and bottom brace 10. This integrated unit then can be used in ceiling, etc. to support the wiring, ceiling tile, etc.

While this invention has been described above there are many obvious variations in the materials used, cutting patterns, alignment techniques and attaching means that were not mentioned specifically but are contemplated and fall within the scope of this invention. Further it is recognized that the process of this invention could be carried out in a continuous or batch method. In a continuous manner the cutting design would be made along the material until the desired length had been reached and then the material would be cut at this length and the pattern changed if preferred. There are of course a variety of such process alternates all of which fall within the scope of this invention.

Having now described and illustrated my invention what I claim as new, novel, useful and unobvious, and desire United States Letter Patents is:

l. A structural means comprising:

a. a top brace;

b. an upper plank having one edge attached to said brace, said upper plank having an about sinusoidal pattern cut into a second edge about opposite said edge attached to said top brace, said sinusoidal pattern making high and low areas in said second edge;

c. a lower plank having one edge cut into an about sinusoidal pattern having high and low areas, said edge being attached to said second edge of said upper plank by attaching some of said upper plank high areas to some of said lower plank high areas; and

d. a bottom brace attached to a second edge of said lower plank, said lower plank second edge being about opposite said lower plank sinusoidal pattern edge.

2. A structural means according to claim 1 wherein said second edges have about flat surfaces.

3. A structural means according to claim 1 wherein said attached high areas have about flat surfaces at said area of attachment.

4. A process for producing a wooden structural means from a single rectangular wooden plank having a width, length and depth which comprises:

a. cutting said plank along its length to form two pieces, each piece having high and low points;

b. aligning at least some of the high points of each piece with one another; and

c. attaching the two aligned pieces to produce the structural means.

5. A process according to claim 4 wherein the plank is cut in about sinusoidal pattern along the length.

6. A process according to claim 4 wherein the high points of each piece are of about uniform height.

7. A process according to claim 5 wherein the high points are cut flat and at about uniform height.

8. A process according to claim 7 wherein said two aligned pieces are attached at the flat portion of the high points by adhesives or mechanical fasteners.

9. A process according to claim 4 wherein the plank is cut with low points in one half of the width of the plank and with the high points in the other half of the width of the plank.

10. A process according to claim 4 wherein the structural means is attached to a brace which is adjacent to at least a portion of the top of the structural means to form a structural unit.

11. A process according to claim 10 wherein said structural unit is attached to a second brace adjacent to at least a portion of the bottom of the structural means.

12. A structural means comprising:

a. a first wooden plank having one edge out to form high and low areas; and

b. a second wooden plank having one edge cut to form high and low areas wherein some of said high areas of said first plank attach to some of said high areas of said second plank.

13. A structural means according to claim 12 wherein:

a. said high areas of said first plank are of about uniform height, and

b. said high areas of said second plank are of about uniform height.

14. A structural means according to claim 13 wherein: all of said high areas are of about uniform height.

15. A structural means according to claim 12 wherein said high and low areas of said first plank form an about sinusoidal pattern and wherein said high and low areas of said second plank form an about sinusoidal pattern.

16. A structural means according to claim 18 having about flat surfaces.

17. A structural means comprising:

a. a brace;

b. a first wooden plank having one edge attached to said brace, said first plank having a second edge having high and low areas, said second edge being about opposite said first edge; and

c. a second wooden plank having one edge with high and low areas and wherein some of said high areas of said first plank are attached to at lease some of said high areas of said second plank.

18. A structural means according to claim 21 wherein said high areas have about flat surfaces. 

1. A structural means comprising: a. a top brace; b. an upper plank having one edge attached to said brace, said upper plank having an about sinusoidal pattern cut into a second edge about opposite said edge attached to said top brace, said sinusoidal pattern making high and low areas in said second edge; c. a lower plank having one edge cut into an about sinusoidal pattern having high and low areas, said edge being attached to said second edge of said upper plank by attaching some of said upper plank high areas to some of said lower plank high areas; and d. a bottom brace attached to a second edge of said lower plank, said lower plank second edge being about opposite said lower plank sinusoidal pattern edge.
 2. A structural means according to claim 1 wherein said second edges have about flat surfaces.
 3. A structural means according to claim 1 wherein said attached high areas have about flat surfaces at said area of attachment.
 4. A process for producing a wooden structural means from a single rectangular wooden plank having a width, length and depth which comprises: a. cutting said plank along its length to form two pieces, each piece having high and low points; b. aligning at least some of the high points of each piece with one another; and c. attaching the two aligned pieces to produce the structural means.
 5. A process according to claim 4 wherein the plank is cut in about sinusoidal pattern along the length.
 6. A process according to claim 4 wherein the high points of each piece are of about uniform height.
 7. A process according to claim 5 wherein the high points are cut flat and at about uniform height.
 8. A process according to claim 7 wherein said two aligned pieces are attached at the flat portion of the high points by adhesives or mechanical fasteners.
 9. A process according to claim 4 wherein the plank is cut with low points in one half of the width of the plank and with the high points in the other half of the width of the plank.
 10. A process according to claim 4 wherein the structural means is attached to a brace which is adjacent to at least a portion of the top of the structural means to form a structural unit.
 11. A process according to claim 10 wherein said structural unit is attached to a second brace adjacent to at least a portion of the bottom of the structural means.
 12. A structural means comprising: a. a first wooden plank having one edge cut to form high and low areas; and b. a second wooden plank having one edge cut to form high and low areas wherein some of said high areas of said first plank attach to some of said high areas of said second plank.
 13. A structural means according to claim 12 wherein: a. said high areas of said first plank are of about uniform height, and b. said high areas of said second plank are of about uniform height.
 14. A structural means according to claim 13 wherein: all of said high areas are of about uniform height.
 15. A structural means according to claim 12 wherein said high and low areas of said first plank form an about sinusoidal pattern and wherein said high and low areas of said second plank form an about sinusoidal pattern.
 16. A structural means according to claim 18 having about flat surfaces.
 17. A structural means comprising: a. a brace; b. a first wooden plank having one edge attached to said brace, said first plank having a second edge having high and low areas, said second edge being about opposite said first edge; and c. a second wooden plank having one edge with high and low areas and wherein Some of said high areas of said first plank are attached to at lease some of said high areas of said second plank.
 18. A structural means according to claim 17 wherein said high areas have about flat surfaces. 